


Affogato & Blueberry Muffin

by DelicatePoem



Series: Swan Queen Week Winter 2017: Alternate Universes Cubed [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Day 2, F/F, High School AU, Swan Queen Week, Swan Queen Week Winter 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-21 01:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9526655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelicatePoem/pseuds/DelicatePoem
Summary: Everyday Regina's there, reading a different book, yet ordering the same coffee. Emma can't bring herself to exchange more than a few words to her, ever since their first meeting, on which she made a complete fool of herself (or so she thinks). Will this particular day be different? Sometimes our friends can help with a little push in the right direction.Or, the one where Emma's a barista and such a dork, Regina is shy and oblivious to her own feelings, Emma's surprised with a napkin note and they're both from the same school.Swan Queen Week: Day 2 - Coffee Shop AU





	

**Author's Note:**

> Here in Brazil it's already late (2 a.m.) and I'm almost sleeping at my chair but I really wanted to post this.
> 
> I'm baffled from all the positive response I got from the last chapter. It means a lot.  
> Anyways, finally back from the beach, so I'll be able to make something for each day for sure!
> 
> Any and all mistakes are mine, I'll be revising this after I get some sleep, lol.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

There she was, on the same table as usual. Pushing a strand of luscious brunette hair behind her ear; absently nibbling on her lower lip (Emma imagined it was a habit the girl didn’t know she possessed); the glasses now falling to the tip of her cute button nose, completely focused on what she was reading this time.

Emma knew all of her quirks. They had spoken to each other a total of… one time, and Emma was already fascinated with the girl – _Regina,_ she remembered. Such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman…

They attended the same school, Storybrooke High, and even some of their classes were together. That didn’t mean, however, that they interacted a lot. For they basically did not. Regina mostly kept to herself, as she’d told her on their first meeting.

Was it a little creepy the fact that Emma had memorized the brunette’s routine?

Maybe it was.

She had arrived at 3 p.m. sharp today, as always, carrying her bag with her. Inhaled the aroma of the bustling coffee shop called _Aroma Beans_ , glanced around for a moment, then moved her eyes over to what Emma liked to call “Regina’s table” and walked over to it. There was no other name more apt for it: Regina would always sit at the same place. After this, she’d arranged herself for a bit and slightly raised her hand, giving a shy smile to Emma (it made her gooey and warm on the inside), to which she’d responded with a grin of hers, as she shuffled over to Regina.

“Hello,” she’d said, “I’d like to order my usual, please. And whatever’s on the special pastry for today, as well.”

“Gotcha. Right on it!” Emma had the dumbest answers ever. Even Ruby had to agree she was a dork – that’s what she was doing right now, admonishing Emma in hushed tones behind the counter, asking why, just why couldn’t she try again to talk to the girl.

“Rubes, you know why! Our first meeting was awkward and she may be smiling, but on the inside she might want to destroy me, I’m sure,” Emma answered sadly, while preparing her crush’s slightly strange order of an _Affogato,_ which consisted of an espresso and a vanilla ice cream scoop dipped in it.

“Emma, it wasn’t that bad! Okay, you did magically slip that day and managed to knock down her coffee _and_ her apple pie on her dress, plus the book she was reading at the time, but I’m almost positive she forgives you.” Ruby shot her a non-convincing smile. “Besides, I can’t handle any more of your whining about how you want to befriend that girl and maybe become more than that _every single day,_ ” she stressed her last words to get her point across.

“Yes, it was _that_ bad!” Emma exclaimed. “It probably burned her!” she chose not to react to the other part of Ruby’s remark, though, ignoring it by rolling a perfect ball of ice cream with the scooper. Next, she carefully put the scoop inside the espresso that the machine had just finished dripping into the cup.

“Ugh, just go over there and talk, you’ve got nothing to lose. I’m going to manage the cash register for Lily. Talk to you later.” Ruby left to do her job without a second glance in Emma’s direction. Her friend was clearly frustrated, but the blonde barista paid her no mind as she concentrated on assembling a perfect coffee.

Afterwards, Emma picked a blueberry muffin from the new batch their pastry chef had made at that instant, and put it on the plate at Regina’s tray. Then, picking it up, with the utmost mindfulness, she got to her favorite customer’s table harmless, after pleading with herself over a hundred times.

Her feet alerted Regina of her presence, who marked her book and pushed it away from her, giving space to Emma.

“Excuse me and sorry for the wait, we’re kinda packed at the moment, as you can see,” Emma distractedly stated, laying down first the cup of _Affogato_ , followed by the muffin.

“Hello,” Regina timidly said, looking into her eyes for no more than five seconds.

“Hi,” Emma grinned, “today’s special is blueberry muffin, hope you enjoy it!”

“Oh, I love muffins, so I certainly will,” the brunette nodded to accompany her words, and a slight red tint was noticeable on her cheeks.

As the chattering around the coffee shop continued incessantly, a silence fell over them, with Emma trying to gather her courage to say something else, and Regina seeming as if she was analyzing all she could of the barista’s face. Emma didn’t know if she should be flattered or self-conscious.

In the end, on her search for a topic to talk about (she was supposed to be working, but the other baristas could cover for her for a few minutes, right?), she spotted the book her crush was reading.

Bingo.

“Is that ‘The Catcher In the Rye’?” she asked animatedly. “Of course it is, duh.” Emma could hit herself in the head for that one. “This book is awesome. Are you enjoying it? Holden Caulfield is great. I’m not going to give any spoilers, I promise.”

“Yes, it is, I’m liking it a lot so far. Can’t wait to see what happens to him now that he’s decided to leave Pencey once and for all.”

“Oh yeah, just wait for that, it is a rollercoaster, of that I can assure you,” Emma replied. “Mind if I rest my legs for a second? This shift has been crazy today, and I could use a break.”

“Of course, take a seat,” she gestured to the other chair.

Regina took her spoon and dipped it inside the coffee, gathering as much of the rapidly melting ice cream and putting it on her mouth. She hummed in utter bliss, closing her eyes, while Emma’s, if they could, would be covered with hearts right now. This girl was adorable.

“I take it you approve?” Emma asked, laying her chin on top of her hand.

Regina blushed and then cleared her throat. “It’s wonderful.”

She watched as Regina picked up the muffin and took a dainty bite, smiling as her taste buds were assaulted by the rich blueberry flavor.

“Oh, the muffin as well! This one might be a new favorite.” The brunette said earnestly.

Emma chuckled and let her eat for a while.

Then, she became serious. “Listen, I really want to apologize for the other day, you know, when I…” she trailed off, messing with her hair, nervous, “…I’m such a klutz sometimes, and I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a long time now, but I’m always nervous, and—”

“Emma, what—” Regina tried, but was interrupted.

“And, well, I really like you, you know? You’re really beautiful and I’d love to see you more often, perhaps even in school, yeah!” Emma nodded to herself.

“ _Emma_.” The barista in question didn’t seem to notice she was being called.

“…You probably hate me, right? I totally should’ve paid more attention to my feet, sometimes I magically trip over stuff that just don’t exist, as my friend Ruby has pointed out several times already—”

Regina had had enough.

“—Emma, calm down,” Regina finally took action, setting her hand on top of the blonde’s hand that was tapping fingers on the table. “I don’t hate you, quite the opposite in fact.”

Emma shook her head, bewildered and overwhelmed by the soft touch on her hand. “W-what?”

Regina gave her another of her perfect shy smiles, removing her right hand and pushing back with it the strand of hair that always fell on her face. “I’ve been trying to tell you this for a long time as well. Emma, I… I’d love if you could be my partner.”

“Say what again?” Now Emma was surely dreaming.

Regina covered her blushing cheeks with her hands, as she said, “Oh my, I’m terrible at this! What I meant to say was if you wanted to be my project partner, for Mr. Gold’s class.”

“Oh.” The disappointment Emma felt was probably written all over her face. “O-okay. Yeah. I’ll do it.” She looked around at the customers to try to hide it.

The brunette bit her lip, considering saying something else, fidgeting with her hands. Seemingly making a hasty decision, she grabbed her handbag and searched for something, until Emma could see it was a pen. Instantly after, she took an untouched napkin and started writing on it. Emma was totally confused. The brunette thereafter thrust her arm holding the napkin in front of Emma’s face, wanting for the barista to grab it. She did, and her eyes scanned the paper thoroughly, from the seven written numbers, to the cute calligraphy which read ‘Call me soon!’ and the little drawn heart next to it. She absently set it down on the table, glancing over Regina, who was nervously waiting for her reply.

  


  


This gave her a small hope. It was a flickering little thing, but it was there. Maybe this would actually work! She got up, excited.

“Where are you going?” Regina asked, baffled.

“My phone’s behind the counter and there’s someone I really gotta text,” she winked to the brunette as she picked the napkin again and left to do just that.

Ruby was right after all, she had nothing to lose. Regina’s precious smile after her words made it totally worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> I'd be inclined to continue this, but I'm not sure yet.  
> Don't forget to leave a comment below, and if you enjoyed it, kudos make my day! ;)


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